Taking Note
by DisneyMuse
Summary: Dipper decides to take Soos up on a recommendation to watch a certain anime and finds more similarities between himself and the main character than he'd like. After all, how many other young brunets encounter a mysterious book filled with dark secrets haunted by a demon-like figure and decides to use the book's power to change the world?
1. Similarities

Note: This story takes place in the Reverse Falls AU. If you don't know what that means, it's the idea of what if the roles in Gravity Falls were switched around. Mabel and Dipper perform at the Tent of Telepathy, while Gideon and Pacifica work at and protect the Mystery Shack. Past that, the interpretation varies from person to person. Check out the Reverse Falls or Reverse Pines tag on Tumblr for more info.

Also, spoiler warning for the ending of Death Note

* * *

Dipper's eyes were glued to the screen. It had been a while since he'd seen anything so… interesting.

The Japanese music continued to play in the background as Dipper contemplated what he just saw. It was impossible to watch this kind of show without contemplating the question: "If a Death Note fell into your lap, what would you do?" Of course, most people would immediately say aloud the politically correct answer of 'burn it on the spot'. Others might admit to trying it out on a criminal or two to see if it worked before destroying the murderous notebook before it could fall into the wrong hands.

But Dipper? Well, let's just say he could relate to the idea of a mysterious notebook falling into a young man's lap and deciding to use its power to try and change the world. He cared little for the concept of his soul or suffering in some supposed afterlife, and willingly stood beside demons to carry out his plans. Although mass murder had hardly fallen under Dipper's ever growing list of wrong doings, he still couldn't help but wonder. "What If"… Something as powerful as the ability to not only kill any person with just a name and a face, but to control their every action before death. The later ability could prove extremely useful for manipulating a number of pawns, but the end result created a pattern that was too noticeable and perhaps too finite of a punishment for any criminal. Dipper had no delusions that he had the right to pass judgement anyone, especially considering the things he had done in the past. But the Death Note seemed like too valuable of a tool to destroy or even lock away. He already saw what benefits the Journal had brought him. What kind of plans could he weave with that black little book?

Dipper's viewing was interrupted by his sister's entrance. "Hey, Soos- what are you watchi- DIPPER?! Is that an anime you're watching, or has the Shapeshifter decided to visit so he can catch up on the newest season of One Piece?" Mabel chuckled. With a dark room and the sounds of Japanese voices coming from across the house, Mabel had initially assumed that it had been Soos come over to watch something on their large screen TV. But Dipper?! That was just hilarious to even imagine.

Dipper sighed, pausing the episode to address his sibling. "Yes… Soos profusely recommended it, and after he stopped talking about the Lolita girl and the sweets obsessed detective, I found the premise worth looking into." Dipper admitted. He normally brushed off anime in general finding it longwinded and flowery, but he supposed he hadn't really given it much of a chance to begin with. This one however seemed to be quite the means to get him interested.

Mabel glanced at the screen to see the paused image of a young man with red hair and eyes followed by a demon. Her laughter grew as she recognized what it was.

"DEATH NOTE?! Oh brother, that is so you!" She cackled finding the whole concept hilarious.

Dipper wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean, but it was probably insulting. "I take it you've heard of it?" He questioned. Mabel had seemed more open to Soos's recommendations. He found her watching one which she instantly declared as her favorite, but he was uncertain as to why. Normally his sister strayed away from anything too girly. The concept of his sister enjoying watching some pink haired girl dream of becoming a magical girl accompanied by some sort of white cat-bunny with an unsettling look in its red eyes just seemed too childish. Yet here she was saying there was something potentially wrong with him enjoying a series about a mass-murdering high schooler with a notebook that allowed him to pass judgement on criminals?

Mabel only continued laughing. After a few moments, she was finally able to get some comprehendible human speech out. "Dipper, you're about 5 years late to the party! But I can so see why of all the anime out there, you'd enjoy this one!"

Dipper folded his arms. What was she implying? "What's wrong with enjoying a suspense/ drama that poses an interesting ethical conundrum?" He asked confused as to what she found so funny.

The fact that he had no idea what he was getting into made it even more hilarious. "Nothing, Dipper Yagami!" She chuckled. "Oh man, Soos would get a kick out of getting you involved in one of his cosplays. Go ahead and continue watching! Let me just go and get you a snack. With one hand you can watch your anime, and with another hand you can take a potato chip and eat it!" She exclaimed running out of the viewing room.

Dipper scratched his head confused. Was she making some kind of reference? He would have stopped watching just so he wouldn't give her the satisfaction… but it was so good! He had to watch the next episode! At the very least to find out what happened. No doubt, it would end with Light getting caught and having to pay for his villainous ways somehow. But you didn't read a murder mystery novel because you knew the detective would figure it out in the end. You did it for the journey of figuring out how it all occurred. And Dipper was eager to see how it happened.

—

"No! You can't do this! NO!" Dipper shouted loudly. The sound of a clatter came from the viewing room.

Mabel was quick to burst into the room. Several daggers hovered in the air around her. The eerie green glow surrounding the weapons and Mabel's headband lit up the room, ready to impale whoever or whatever caused her brother to scream like that. However, she was disappointed to find that her brother was just being a drama queen regarding his latest obsession.

"You're still watching that?" Mabel complained irritated that her brother wok her up at this god forsaken hour. The daggers clattered to the floor as she watched her brother continue to throw his fit.

"You don't get it! How could they end it like that? It's so…. UGH!" He yelled frustrated. It was probably the nonstop 13 ish hours he'd been watching riling him up, but he was exasperated. How could after all of that, he had to just die like that?

Mabel rubbed her eyelids, wondering what the heck her brother was thinking. "Yes, I saw the ending years ago. He gets caught, gets shot, and justice prevails. What, did you think the mass murderer was going to get away with it? That he'd have some sort of redemption? That any show would have the controversial view that it's ok to kill large amounts of people in cold blood like that?"

Dipper rubbed his forehead. "No… that's not it…" He mumbled as he tried to figure out how to put it into words.

Of course he couldn't help rooting for Kira along the way. From a technical story writing perspective, he was the protagonist, so it had to be intentional, right? He enjoyed seeing Light's methods of infiltrating the task force, playing them all for both information and to lead them all in the wrong direction while slowly picking off his enemies. He found methods such as eliminating the FBI agents as clever and well handled. Even the more ridiculous gambits that he doubted would actually work in reality such as wiping his own memory and retrieving the Death Note still were an interesting approach. While Light was too self-righteous for his own good, he had to admire his resolve. Despite being backed into a corner many times and even outsourcing his role as Kira onto others, he still persisted in carrying out his goal. Dipper wasn't even mad that he was caught- he had a good run. He already seemed to have the devils luck in lasting this long. Mellow and Near had sound reasoning, and their methods to subdue Light were well played. Light and all the detectives involved played a good game. And Light had succeeded as Kira for years killing off hundreds of criminals. The fact that he lasted this long was a feat to behold. He had no hopes for redemption. He chose his fate the moment he took the Death Note. None of the reasons Mabel listed was why he was so upset.

"He died… like a dog." Dipper muttered as he glared down at the bowl of chips he had thrown at the wall the moment Light had gotten shot by a stupid secondary character. "All that planning… all his grand schemes… all his perfect manipulation… and what did it all amount to?"

Mabel shrugged. "Well, there's some extra stuff in the manga, but I doubt you feel like reading that. The crime rate went down for a while… and he still had those worshipers I suppose. Still, he had it coming and all."

"Of course he was going to get revealed… but did it really have to be without anything changing? That despite all his effort as Kira, nothing came of it?" Dipper asked disappointed.

Mabel yawned as she sat down next to her brother. "If that's how you really feel, you're not going to like the other adaptations. Can't remember if it was the manga or live action movie where they didn't even mention Light being Kira to the public. Although I think most versions seem to imply they never even told the world they caught Kira- the killings just stop. If you're such a Kira fanboy, being able to wander off to his death to die alone was probably the best version for his end out of all of them. Better than dying of a heart attack in front of everyone." Mabel explained. It had been years since she'd seen it, so her memory was a bit fuzzy as to which happened where.

Hearing that only made Dipper feel worse. "Not even his name got remembered, did it? That's even worse than just killing him. Forget being a god. To change the world- that's what he wanted."

Mabel patted her brother on the head. "Hit a little too close to home then? Should I start changing my name in case you do get your hands on a Death Note?" Mabel teased.

Dipper shook his head rapidly, trying to deny his sister's claims, but that only seemed to confirm her suspicions. He knew he wasn't nearly as bad as Light in terms of a skewed sense of justice and god complex. But at the same time, he felt like Light was in a better place than him before all this began. That he was a genuinely good person corrupted by power. So then what did that make someone like him who was eager to get their hands on any scrap of knowledge he could, was eagerly manipulating just about everyone he knew, but wasn't even doing it with hopes of 'saving the rotting world'. It was all just for himself. Stupid conscience plaguing him at this insane hour.

Mabel smirked at the troubled look on her brother's face. And this was why no matter how many minutes passed between their births or inches he began to gain over her, he would always be her little brother. "Don't think too hard on it. You're not like him." Mabel reassured Dipper.

Dipper rolled his eyes. "I'm not worried about repeating his mistakes or anything! This is all fiction anyways. 'Justice' doesn't always win in the end. Half the things he tried wouldn't have worked anyways." Dipper reasoned trying to distance himself from the idea.

Still, Mabel knew her brother needed more reassurance. "You don't have delusions of grandeur- you know who you are. So what if neither of us are saints? There aren't any good guys or bad guys or anyone keeping tabs on our karma. Maybe we'll succeed in taking over the world or some grandiose deal like that, or maybe we'll die in a ditch one day. Who knows? But you have one important thing that Light never did- A sister."

Despite the less than heart-warming speech, Dipper was quick to correct her "Actually, didn't he have a little sis-"

"You know what I mean!" Mabel said bonking her brother in the back of his head. "I mean, someone that he actually confided in. A real partner. None of this Misa or Ryuk kind of relationship. You've got someone you can trust that will stand by your side. And whether we change the world for the better or worse, you can be sure as hell that no one will be forgetting our names."

Dipper's fingers brushed over his birthmark. A sign that he was different from the rest. He never thought it meant he was 'destined for greater things', but he liked to at least believe it meant he wasn't like the rest of the world. That he could do something more than fade away into history. But he wasn't alone in this endeavor. He had people along his path that would keep him from using his power only for himself. They'd help him make sure he did something great with this knowledge. And that was the question he wondered most about Death Note- that if that sort of power fell into your lap, would you be capable of making the most of it? That if you looked at a dark menacing power, would you run from it, would you let it corrupt you, or would you be capable of using it to its full potential? And while Dipper wasn't sure if the knowledge he and his sister had gained would drive him to insanity yet, he would take one page out of Light Yagami's book- He wouldn't give up until the very end.


	2. Motive

"What are you even aiming for with all of this?" Paz asked Dipper after a long day of monster hunting. The braid of unicorn hair that she wove through her fingers wasn't obtained the way they thought it would be, but hard earned nonetheless.

"Well Unicorn hair is useful in a number of protective spells. The Unicorn blood, sweat, and tears was an added bonus… I'll have to look up its applications later." Dipper explained.

"Not that." Paz interjected. "I mean, all of this. Monster hunting, spells, gathering knowledge. All those grand schemes of yours that you'll never admit to, but I know are still going through your head. What's your goal even?"

The rivalry between Paz and Dipper had certainly began to shift over time. At first, it was the most hated of enemies. Then, they were occasionally brought together by necessity or to face a common threat. And now, they accepted the other's company without little fuss. They had begun to venture in the woods of Gravity Falls together, even when their usual partners were available. They made a pretty good team and discovered skill sets they never considered. Like today where Dipper requested Paz's help in gathering Unicorn Hair believing she'd have an easier time matching the description of 'a maiden of pure heart'… only to find that she was even better at kicking the horns off their high horses. But even though Paz had begun to see a shift in Dipper from the conniving spell caster working in the shadows of Gravity Falls to someone who actively worked to protect the town, she had to admit she still had her suspicions. What exactly was his end game?

Dipper rolled his eyes. "I thought you figured that out. World domination, the slaughter of innocents, monuments made in my image… that sort of thing." Dipper sarcastically remarked. He adjusted his bolo tie, still well aware of Paz's initial thoughts on him. Not that he blamed her, but he had to wonder how much of it she still considered a possibility.

Paz gave Dipper a light shove for the comment. "No, really. What are you playing at? No matter what change of heart you've had, I still see that look in your eyes sometimes. That you're planning something big. Spill before I assume all this turning over a new leaf stuff is just an act." Paz insisted.

Dipper gave a smirk to the blond. "Ah yes, you've found my weak point- Direct questions. I suppose that in true evil villain fashion, I must spill all my plans in great detail so you'll have everything you need to stop me. And here I am without my death trap."

"Cut the snark." Paz said shooting Dipper a glare. Shoving her hands in her jacket pockets, she began to kick the dirt as they walked along. "If you're not going to tell me, you don't have to be a butt about it."

Dipper's smirk dropped as he noticed that Paz didn't seem to be up for their usual playful banter today. Was it all that stupid unicorn's talk of 'being a good person'? "If any of those multicolored mutant mare caused you any discomfort, I'd be happy to double back and turn them into glue."

Paz kicked a rock as she increased her pace to walk ahead of Dipper. How could he be such an idiot? "It's not them- it's you. How many of these little adventures have we gone on? I still feel like I don't know who you are or what your intentions are. Part of me knows there's a good person behind all of that cynicism, and the other part is getting ready for your inevitable betrayal. And… that part is shrinking on each of these little trips. I guess I just want to be able to toss those thoughts to the curb already."

Dipper furrowed his lip. Her suspicions were fair. And her accusations were correct. Even if he still didn't have an exact means to carry out his plans, his ultimate goal was the same. Perhaps without as much of the fire and brimstone that he intended, but he'd come to see that perhaps the world he wanted to see could be obtained without excessive force and plotting in the shadows.

Dipper's fingers brushed through his hair, tucking back his bangs. "You assume I know exactly what I plan on doing. That just because I know what I want, I know how to get it." He admitted.

Paz turned back to look at Dipper, wondering if he was trying to be sincere, or if he was just trying to side step her question again.

"If you really want to know though… All I can say for certain is that I'll show you the creation of a new world." Dipper declared with a serious expression on his face.

Paz stopped dead in her tracks, stunned at what she just heard. Not because it was anything shocking, but because she'd heard it before. "Did you… did you just quote Death Note?"

Dipper's face turned bright red with embarrassment. Oh god… did he just do that?! "I… No… it must be a coincidence." He quickly insisted trying to cover his mouth and cheeks.

A wide grin spread across Paz's face. "No… you did it! And better yet, you didn't even realize what you were saying until it was out!" Paz exclaimed almost on the verge of laughter.

"It was a complete accident! It's not like I plan on killing people or anything! Do I look like Kira to you!?" Dipper blurted out getting more flustered with each word.

Paz couldn't contain it any more. The sound of her laughter echoed through the forest. "Oh my gosh! Actually, you kind of do look like you could pull off the look well! Especially with you trying to get all serious there! Oh! Can you say, 'I am justice'!" Paz exclaimed overly excited now.

"NO! I am nothing like Kira!" Dipper exclaimed. His sister had teased him about the same exact thing when he first watched Death Note. Only now, it only made him feel more embarrassed.

But there was no hiding it now! Dipper was a fanboy, and Paz was going to exploit the heck out of it. "Exactly what Light would claim! The more you deny it, the more I've got a mind to sew you up a cosplay!"

Dipper groaned knowing that he wasn't going to hear the end of this for a while. "Can we go back to you glaring at me and questioning my motives?"

Paz's eyes lit up. "Oh, that's perfect! If you're Kira, then that has to make me your biggest rival trying to catch you, L!"

Dipper hung his head, wondering if she would get over this by the time they made it back to town. "Wouldn't that mean I had killed you? Besides, you're much better dressed than him."

"True… Wait, was that a complement?" Paz wondered caught off guard.

Dipper covered his mouth, not intending to do anything of the sort. Honestly, all of this had shifted him off balance enough to blurt something that had been on his mind like that. "If I say yes, does that mean you'll drop all of this?" He asked, hoping for an easy out.

Paz swung her arm around Dipper's head happily. "Oh, why would I do that when I've already caught you? Clearly Dipper Pines isn't some mastermind trying to destroy the world- he's far too much of a dork for that! The world's greatest detective has him in her clutches!" Paz declared happily.

It was hard not to smile with the good mood Paz had shifted into. Even if he was the butt of the current joke. "I will pay you any amount of money to ensure you don't repeat this to anyone." Dipper insisted.

Paz gave out a playful evil cackle. "Oh, I have something much better in mind! I already have your name and face! Now I just need your measurements!"

Dipper raised an eyebrow, having a good idea of where this was going. "Will anyone see?"

Paz gave out a chuckle. "Only if you're so happy with my work that you want them to!"

Dipper surrendered with a sigh. "Well then. I suppose for you… I will be the god of this new world!"

Even as hard as Dipper tried to be dramatic in his portrayal, both of them couldn't stop laughing the entire way back.


End file.
